Microprocessors and memory devices are key elements in computing devices. When power is initially applied to a computing device, a microprocessor attempts to read a particular memory address in a non-volatile memory device to receive preliminary instructions. After reading the preliminary instructions, the microprocessor executes the instructions thereby permitting the computing device to become operational. This process is commonly known as “booting.” As a result of a “boot” process, the microprocessor transitions from a non-functional mode to an operational mode upon power initialization by reading and executing essential instructions commonly known as firmware.
The firmware or Basic Input/Output System (BIOS) in a Personal Computer (PC) dictates what the PC can accomplish without accessing programs from a disk storage device. The firmware or BIOS contains all the programming code required to control the keyboard, display monitor, mouse, disk drives, serial communication ports, and a number of miscellaneous functions. The BIOS is typically placed in a read only memory (ROM) integrated circuit device that is included within the PC. This mode of delivering the firmware or BIOS ensures that the BIOS will always be available and will not be damaged by disk failures. It also enables a PC to “boot” itself. After the PC has successfully loaded and executed the BIOS, the PC may then be configured to load an operating system into random access memory (RAM).
An operating system is one of the most important programs on a PC. Most general-purpose computers utilize an operating system for running other programs. Operating systems perform basic tasks, such as recognizing input from the keyboard, sending output to the display monitor, managing directories and files on fixed disks, and controlling peripheral devices such as disk drives and printers. Operating systems provide a software platform on top of which other programs, called applications, may run. Applications are typically written to run on top of a particular operating system. For PCs, disk operating system (DOS), operating system 2 (OS/2), Windows, and Linux are some of the most popular operating systems.
A kernel is the central module of an operating system. It is the part of the operating system that loads first, and it remains in RAM. Because the kernel resides in RAM, it is desirable for the kernel to be as small as possible while still providing all the essential services required by other parts of the operating system and applications. Typically, the kernel is responsible for memory management, process and task management, and disk management.
For large computing systems, the operating system has even greater responsibilities and powers. In this regard, the operating system ensures that different programs and users running at the same time do not interfere with each other. The operating system is also responsible for managing security issues, including authorization for access to the system.
An electrically erasable programmable read only memory (EEPROM) device is a non-volatile memory commonly used for storing firmware used by computing devices in their respective “boot” processes. A flash EEPROM permits its entire memory to be erased in a single step. In recent years, flash EEPROMS having selective erasable/writable memory block addressing capabilities have been used extensively for storing firmware. The flash EEPROM is particularly useful as it allows firmware to be erased and upgraded by an operator without the need to physically remove and replace a ROM integrated circuit chip.
The capability to upgrade the firmware by loading programming code to a flash EEPROM both simplifies the upgrade process and reduces the costs associated with firmware upgrades. The extensive use of flash EEPROMs has also increased the reliability of the computing device, which embodies the EEPROM, because printed circuit board sockets are no longer required to support integrated circuit replacement.
However, the use of flash EEPROMS does not resolve a number of problems inherent in the process of distributing firmware updates. Because of the natural progression of the command hierarchy from firmware to operating system to applications, the firmware cannot be removed or manipulated without compromising the operating system. As a result, manual intervention is still required to install new firmware. Typically, this is accomplished by interrupting the “boot” process via keyboard input prior to the transfer of the operating system into RAM and entering a set of appropriate commands to load a boot image and the new firmware from a storage media compatible with a mobile data storage device (e.g., a CD-ROM, a magnetic tape drive, a floppy disk drive, and the like).
Manual firmware upgrades for networked computing devices are problematic for at least the reason that they may require manual repetitive operation of critical steps at what may amount to a non-trivial number of computing devices. Indeed, the services of a skilled technician is often required to perform firmware updates at each computing device even in the case where the computing devices designated for firmware updates are coupled to the same network.